Princess Menglang is hard to change, the whole capital is embarrassed for her

As the weather was getting colder, news came from the border that the Northern Di and Western Qiang had failed to reach an agreement on the killing of Mergan, and finally started fighting.

It is said that the two sides were fighting fiercely, and the border residents fled, fearing that heavy snow would block the roads and they would become victims of the battle.

On the side of Da Zhou.

The common people in the vegetable market and teahouse were discussing the fact that the Northern Di had suddenly withdrawn their troops and turned to attack the Western Qiang, while the ministers were keeping the Third Prince's sudden suicide a secret.

That night, the general suddenly led his troops to arrest many people and even raided the homes of many officials. It was said that this was all connected to the traitor Wu Yongguang from Mizhou. At this critical juncture, with all the news circulating, it was best to keep quiet.

Because of these things, no one paid attention to the Queen's attempt to murder Queen Chu.

Fortunately, there is a persistent Censor Cui.

While the eldest prince and the women of the Chu family had not yet returned to the capital, Censor Cui submitted a memorial impeaching the queen.

Only then did everyone come back to their senses from the joy of the Northern Di withdrawal.

Yes, after more than ten years, the Chu family finally returned to Beijing.

It was because Queen Chu was wronged that Chu Hengsheng took his family to the northern border in anger and refused to return to Beijing no matter how the emperor summoned him.

Now that he has returned, if he knew that Queen Chu's death was related to Queen Yao, and that the Emperor was still hesitant about punishing Queen Yao, it would be strange if the Chu family did not go into chaos.

The emperor also thought of this and immediately started to have a headache again.

He hurriedly ordered Eunuch Chang to take Censor Cui's memorial, opened it, and took a look. He didn't need to go back to the imperial study to approve it. He immediately handed the memorial to Fang Yao and said, "You can do whatever you want."

This Censor Cui is very sharp-tongued and he criticizes whoever he catches.

Fang Yao and he were in-laws, so if Fang Yao was to handle Empress Yao's affairs, Imperial Censor Cui would definitely spare no effort in helping and offering advice. Not only would he not find fault, but he would be the first to jump out and refute others when they did.

Just his mouth and fighting spirit can definitely beat people into a helpless defeat.

With him around, Fang Yao will be able to handle this matter much more smoothly.

Logically speaking, such matters should have been left to the old prime minister.

However, the Queen's incident was the result of Xiao Zhao's report, so it was obviously not appropriate for the old Prime Minister to interfere in Queen Yao's affairs.

After the court session, the old prime minister lowered his head and walked out dejectedly.

Behind him, Fang Yao caught up and patted him on the back.

The old prime minister looked back at him, ignored him, and continued walking towards the palace gate.

"Grandpa, why are you ignoring me?" Fang Yao said with a smile.

The old prime minister did not say anything. He just stood with his hands behind his back and counted the bricks on the ground with his head down.

"Grandpa, the emperor asked me to come find you." Fang Yao lowered his voice and said quietly.

As expected, as soon as these words were spoken, the old prime minister's eyes lit up.

He stopped and looked at Fang Yao doubtfully, "Is it really the emperor?"

"Yes, the emperor asked me to come," Fang Yao glanced around, stretched out his hand to pull him aside, and sighed, "The emperor said that he must listen to your opinion on this matter. I am a rough guy, who curses his mother when he gets angry. How can I know how to deal with the affairs of the women in the harem? Besides, this matter should be handled by you, but the emperor is worried that you will be talked about in the end. After all, if it is handed over to you, when the result comes out, at the very least, some people will say that you have no eyes for the law, and at the worst, some people will say that you are taking revenge for personal grudges. You will definitely be caught in a dilemma. So the emperor thought about it and chose me to come out and let me be your shield. In this way, no matter what the result is on the surface, it has nothing to do with you. Privately, this matter still depends on you to make the final decision for me. Tell me, how should I deal with the matter of Queen Yao?"

"Do you have evidence?" asked the old prime minister.

"Ah? What?" Fang Yao didn't understand for a moment and asked again hurriedly, "What evidence?"

"Do you have evidence that Queen Yao murdered Queen Chu?"

Fang Yao knew immediately that the old prime minister had agreed to help, and he quickly shook his head and said, "No."

Apart from Xiao Zhao's testimony, there is really no more powerful evidence. If the queen changes her testimony, this matter will be difficult to handle.

"Go find Duke Chongguo." Hearing that the emperor still trusted him and cared so much about him, the old prime minister immediately became angry and gave Fang Yao some advice. "Negotiate with him. Ask him if he wants the Yao family to be guillotined along with the queen? Or does he want to announce the queen's sudden death and save the Yao family?"

Fang Yao slapped his forehead and couldn't help but admire, "Yeah, why didn't I think of this? Otherwise, why do they say that old ginger is still spicy? No wonder the emperor relies on you so much. I admire you."

The old prime minister finally had a smile on his face. He glanced at Fang Yao, put his hands behind his back, hummed a tune, and walked away.

Fang Yao went to the Yao family without even going home. At this time, the Yao family was in a gloomy mood. It was the old butler of the Chongguo Mansion who came out to greet Fang Yao. Fang Yao looked at him twice and suddenly had an idea.

Arriving at the Duke of Chongguo's bedroom, the old housekeeper was waiting beside him. Fang Yao raised his chin and said, "I have something to say to your master. Please go down."

The old butler looked at Duke Chongguo, who nodded to him, and he bowed and walked out.

Then, Duke Chongguo looked at Fang Yao. Seeing that he still didn't speak, he frowned in confusion, "The general came to me, could it be..."

Before he could finish his words, Fang Yao suddenly walked to the door, pulled it hard, and the old butler rolled in.

This guy was actually hiding outside and eavesdropping.

"Zhu Yi, tie up this old guy and take him away."

"Yes." Zhu Yi jumped down from the roof. Before the old butler could resist, he was knocked unconscious by a palm and thrown to the other two people who jumped down.

Duke Chongguo's face instantly turned red with anger, and he glared at Fang Yao, "Mr. Fang, don't go too far. He is my housekeeper, what right do you have to arrest him?"

"Why are you so angry?" Fang Yao found a chair and sat down, saying calmly, "He's a spy from the Western Qiang. His relative who used to come to your house frequently has been secretly executed. Don't tell me you don't know they're involved in the things going on in Mizhou. Old Yao, what else do you want to do now? Do you really plan to take your children and grandchildren to see the ancestors as soon as possible?"

Duke Chongguo was stunned.

Old Yao?

Yes, I am nothing now, and it is a great honor for people to call me Lao Yao.

As for the matter of the housekeeper and his relatives, his mind was in a mess now, and past events came to his mind one by one.

It was that relative who had been the instigator of the conspiracy with the Western Qiang to frame the Fang family army. He claimed to know a certain prince in the Western Qiang royal family, who was willing to make peace with the Great Zhou, but not through the Fang family army. Because Fang Yao had once killed the prince's friend, the prince resented Fang Yao.

This was exactly what he liked to hear, so he asked a few more questions. After a few more encounters, he made up his mind and told the relative to tell the Prince of Xiqiang that he was willing to cooperate.