Qingyu Case: Female Minister of Dali Temple

After staying up all night to interrogate the rich man and the scholar, Chen Shao spent another half a month personally leading a team to search every household.

The results of the interrogation and the search were no different from those of the wealthy families and scholars confessed by Ding Lisheng and Zhao Lin. This no difference further proved that her speculation about Qingyu was correct.

Next, she spent another half a month collecting all the jade that had been found so far, and stored them in boxes according to households or individuals.

Looking at the boxes of green jade that filled the entire Haitang Courtyard, Chen Shao showed no joy on his face.

According to the instructions of Master Fan and Master Qi, they had to send 50 kilograms of top-quality sapphire raw stones and an indefinite amount of sapphire objects to Jiangnan every month to the princelings of the previous dynasty. Even if they started sending them from the beginning of the 16th year of Yuanhe, up to now, just counting the four families, they have sent out more than 10,000 kilograms of top-quality sapphire raw stones and more than 100,000 various sapphire objects. If the more than 10,000 kilograms of top-quality sapphire raw stones were carved into objects, and the more than 100,000 various finished sapphire objects were all resold under various names, it is self-evident how huge the quantity is and how wide the number of people involved is.

This is just the amount for Hongyuan County.

As far as we know, the Wen family of Shu County has sent out people called the Wen family, who have already occupied nineteen county towns in Jiannan Road.

It is urgent to resolve the threat posed by Qingyu.

But Chen Shao had no idea how to solve the problem.

After leaving Haitang Courtyard and returning to Chengfeng Courtyard, Chen Shaoqian took two sips of tea, quickly glanced at Li Tianliu, Fu Jiu, Chan Yi and Quan Shuyu, put down the teacup, and slowly spoke: "We have found all the jadeite that can be found, but there is still a large part of jadeite of poor quality that is missing. How to find these jadeite or eliminate the impact of these jadeite, you still have to come up with a plan."

Fu Jiu went out to check the whereabouts of Liang Ge's family. He only received a letter two days ago. Although he had pieced together some of what happened after he left, he still had only a vague understanding. Hearing Chen Shao's question, he scratched his head, looked at Li Tianliu, then at Chan Yi and Quan Shuyu, and asked anxiously, "What influence can Qingyu have?"

Li Tianliu, Chan Yi and Quan Shuyu all looked at Chen Shao. They only knew that Qingyu was related to the Prince's Party of the previous dynasty, and they thought that she was going through so much trouble to confiscate Qingyu as a way to eradicate the power of the Prince's Party of the previous dynasty. When they suddenly heard the word "influence", they were a little confused.

According to their thinking, the higher the status and the greater the power, the better and more precious jade they collected, and the more likely they were members of the princeling party of the previous dynasty. As long as they confiscated the jade from these people and eliminated their power, the rest would be nothing more than a mob and nothing to be feared.

"I forgot to tell them." Chen Shao paused and told them all her speculations triggered by Lei Dehou's words.

After listening to this, Li Tianliu, Chanyi and Quan Shuyu still didn't understand her worries about people who possessed inferior green jade. Chanyi even said, "Lord Lei just heard it by chance, it may not be true. Even if it is true, without the support of the Zhu family and the Gu family, they are just a pile of scattered sand and can't achieve much."

Quan Shuyu nodded in agreement.

"What you said only applies to the situation where the green jade is only rampant in Hongyuan County." Li Tianliu said coldly, "Now the green jade is rampant in Jiannan Road, Jiangnan Road and the capital. It will be useless to eliminate the Zhu family, Gu family and others in Hongyuan County!"

Chan Yi immediately said: "It is indeed useless to just eradicate Hongyuan County, but we will not just stay in Hongyuan County."

Li Tianliu glanced at her and said, "Do you think the princelings of the previous dynasty will watch you eradicate their power and do nothing?"

Chan Yi was speechless.

Li Tianliu looked back at Chen Shao. "According to your speculation, the princelings of the previous dynasty are simply using people's fear to instigate. The only way to eliminate this hidden danger is to let those who have the inferior green jade know that they just bought such green jade unintentionally, and you will not punish them for it."

Fu Jiu blinked her eyes and asked doubtfully, "Your method is good, but it can only solve the hidden dangers in Hongyuan County, not the entire Jiannan Road, Jiangnan Road, and the capital."

Li Tianliu said calmly: "Only by solving the problem of Hongyuan County can we solve the problems of Jiannan Road, Jiangnan Road and the capital."

She understood the reason, but... Chen Shao asked: "How can we solve the problem of Hongyuan County? In other words, how can we reassure those who bought the inferior jade that I will not bother with them?"

Li Tianliu raised his stern eyebrows slightly, revealing a hint of surprise: "Aren't you usually the best at winning the hearts of the people?"

Win the hearts of the people?

Chen Shao suddenly smiled and said, "That's a good idea."

Li Tianliu raised his eyebrows again. What idea? Before he could finish his words, Fu Jiu had already asked.

"Of course, it's to win over the people." When Chen Shao stood up to make arrangements, he saw Fu Jiu scratching her head. Something in his mind moved, and he immediately stopped and asked, "Have you found out the whereabouts of Liang Luo's family?"

Although she had already answered her two days ago, Fu Jiu still said, "I have found out that they are in Qingyu Mountain, 300 miles away from the county town. I have brought them back and placed them in Juxian Tower. Do you want to see them, young master?"

"Hu Qinglu is already dead. There is not much point in inviting them to the prefectural government." Chen Shao thought for a moment and ordered, "Go prepare the carriage. We will go to Juxian Tower."

"Okay." Fu Jiu went happily.

Chen Shao took a look at his clothes and saw that there was nothing wrong with them, so he said, "Let's go."

On the road.

Li Tianliu rode his horse to the car window and asked, "Are you planning to use Liang Ge's family to win over the people?"

Chen Shao did not answer but asked: "What do you think?"

"Dealing with the Wen and Zhu families, returning land, distributing grain, reducing taxes, providing free medical care, handling hundreds of disputes, etc., are all to win the hearts of the people." Li Tianliu reminded slowly, "It was such a big show before, so the people naturally bought into it. Now you want to win the hearts of the people by solving the old case of Liang Ge's family, I'm afraid it won't work."

"It's just not very effective, not useless." It was winter, and the passers-by had all put on thick winter clothes. Chen Shao half leaned on the soft pillow, looking at the passers-by hurrying in the north wind, and said calmly, "The old case of Liang Ge's family may be insignificant to us, but for them, it concerns their future generations. We can't ignore it just because their role is too small. Besides, winning the hearts of the people is not a matter of a day or a night. We must start with small things and let the people of Hongyuan County see our sincerity first."

Li Tianliu snorted, "Just save these empty words for the prince. There's no point in telling them to me."

Chen Shao smiled: "Isn't the prince not here?"

Li Tianliu glanced at her and pretended to be nonchalant and asked, "What are you going to do in Beijing?"

Chen Shao did not answer again and asked: "What do you want me to do?"

Li Tianliu sneered twice and said disdainfully: "What does it have to do with me?"

Chen Shao curled his lips: "If it's none of your business, what does it have to do with me?"

Li Tianliu suddenly looked at her, as if he didn't know her. After looking her up and down for several times, he said sarcastically: "You are not always loyal to the prince. What's the matter? Did you have a quarrel?"

Chen Shao said without comment: "It's just a matter of Qingyu. As the crown prince, how can I point fingers and teach him how to do things?"

"I thought you would never understand such a simple truth until you die. I didn't expect that you would figure it out so quickly after coming to Hongyuan County." Li Tianliu let out a long breath, as if he was going to spit out all the resentment that had accumulated over the years.

Chen Shao looked at him with a half-smile, "If General Li knew that you had such a rebellious idea in your mind, he would definitely break both of your legs."

"So what if he knows?" Li Tianliu said disapprovingly, "Datong has been fighting for decades, and there is still no peace. Isn't the problem..."

Chen Shao interrupted him: "Be careful with your words!"

Li Tianliu's face suddenly turned cold and he snorted twice.

Chen Shao ignored him for a while before speaking again, "I need you to help me do something. This matter cannot alarm anyone except us, especially the prince."

Li Tianliu still had a cold face: "Speak!"

"You must know that my previous letters were all addressed to my second uncle, but every time I wrote back it was the prince." Chen Shao lowered his voice, "I want to know if my second uncle has had any accident."

Every time he wrote a letter to Chen Zhao, Chen Shao always pretended to be writing to Mr. Chen Er because he could not openly write that he was the recipient.

Li Tianliu subconsciously glanced at Chan Yi. No wonder she said last time that it was another reply from the prince. So that's it.

"What do you want me to do?" Li Tianliu asked, also unconsciously lowering his voice.

Chen Shao took out a letter that had been written long ago from a drawer nearby. "You arrange for someone to secretly check the situation at Chen Guogong Mansion. If my second uncle is fine, then give him this letter. If he is ill, then destroy the letter or bring it back."

Li Tianliu solemnly took the letter and put it close to his body, then solemnly replied "OK".

Shopkeeper Zhou seemed to have known that Chen Shao would come. As soon as the carriage appeared at the corner of the street, he came out of Juxian Building to greet him. When the carriage was closer, he trotted to meet him, and then trotted back to the entrance of Juxian Building with the carriage. He moved the stool in front of the carriage and said with a flattering smile, "I have been looking forward to seeing you for a long time, and finally you have come."

When Chen Shao got out of the carriage, he said, "A lot of fish have come to the building in the past two days. I heard that they were only supplied to Jiangnan and Beijing before. They were praised to the sky. I have never been to Jiangnan or Beijing. I hope you can do me a favor and take a look at them later."

Chen Shao didn't respond: "Where are Liang Ge's family?"

"They are staying in Room 3," said Shopkeeper Zhou as he led the way. "Sir, would you like to go to the guest room to meet them, or should I go and invite them over?"

"Please come over, to the old seat." Chen Shao ordered.

"Okay, sir, please come this way." After leading Chen Shao in, Manager Zhou hurriedly told the waiter to invite Liang Ge's family. He then led Chen Shao to the third floor with a charming smile, settled him down, and hurriedly instructed the waiter, "Quick, go make tea for sir."

When the tea came, Manager Zhou personally poured a cup for each person and said tactfully, "Liang Ge's family is on their way. Please sit for a while. I won't disturb you."

After going downstairs, they happened to meet Liang Ge's family. Manager Zhou attentively led them upstairs, came down again, and hurried into the kitchen.

On the third floor, Liang Ge's family's eyes suddenly turned red when they saw Chen Shao, and they burst into tears before they could say a word.