This made Li Shimin anxious, and he wanted to trade one for one with me.

“In the afternoon, when I was reviewing criminal cases with Cui Yue, the judge of Dali, and Wang Liang, the assistant minister of the Ministry of Justice, Wang Liang deliberately delayed the proceedings, which aroused my suspicion. But I didn’t know why. Now I know: someone wants to imprison Du Jingjian.”

Cheng Jun told him the whole story.

After hearing his explanation, Ma Zhou frowned, immediately made a judgment, and said:

"Du Jingjian helped you in the selection of censors. Imprisoning him is to show those talented people in the neighborhood who also helped you in the selection of censors. This is to make an example of him and warn others. This is aimed at you."

As expected of a future prime minister... Cheng Jun hadn't expected him to figure things out so quickly, and praised him, saying, "Brother Binwang has keen observation and insight into the crux of the matter. That's what I was thinking too."

As he spoke, he told Ma Zhou about Liu Linfu's visit.

Ma Zhou's expression grew increasingly solemn. "Liu Linfu is the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, and he certainly has the ability to instruct various departments to seize money. After you sent him to the Imperial Medical Bureau, these people scattered like birds and beasts, and should have been afraid of you and dared not come again. But they just happened to come back at this time... It is clear that Liu Linfu is not the mastermind behind this matter. There must be someone else!"

Cheng Jun nodded slightly and added, "This person has the ability to get people from the Ministry of Justice to help him stall me. Fortunately, I noticed it. Otherwise, this person would have taken advantage of the time I was stalled to solidify Du Jingjian's crime. Even if Du Jingjian later protested his innocence, with witnesses and evidence, it would have been impossible to overturn the verdict. If the other party had succeeded, Du Jingjian's career would have been ruined, and not only that, he might have had to serve several years in prison."

"This person punished Du Jingjian to warn other talented people in the neighborhood to stay away from me. His method is not only to make an example of someone, but also to destroy their spirit!"

Upon hearing this, Ma Zhou's expression changed. "Such cunning... if I'm not mistaken... the person targeting you is Changsun Wuji, the Minister of Personnel!"

"You impeached the Empress before His Majesty. The Empress is Changsun Wuji's younger sister. She punished you because of this. As her elder brother, Changsun Wuji certainly wouldn't remain indifferent. That's his motive for dealing with you!"

Cheng Jun gave him an approving look. When he came over and saw that more than 600 money-catching clerks had returned, he knew who was behind it all.

He offended two people in the Ministry of Personnel: Liu Linfu and Changsun Wuji.

Liu Linfu was admitted to the Imperial Medical Bureau because of his hemophobia, and the remaining money-collecting clerks scattered like birds and beasts. Now that they have returned, it is not hard to guess that it was Changsun Wuji who was behind it.

He was a participant in the whole affair, so he was able to draw conclusions quickly, while Ma Zhou was able to deduce the correct conclusions from just a few words, which is enough to show his talent.

Meanwhile, Ma Zhou was also observing. He saw people standing at the Du family's door, preventing anyone from entering, and guessed that these were all people arranged by Cheng Jun. He was secretly amazed.

They are so cautious and meticulous... If it weren't for these few people protecting the Du family's gate, the Minister of Personnel's conspiracy would probably have succeeded.

Ma Zhou observed that the person confronting Yuchi Baolin and the Cheng brothers was the magistrate of Chang'an County, and turned to ask, "Brother Chuxia, how about we go over there now and drive them away?"

Cheng Jun looked at the twenty clerks of Chang'an County standing behind the magistrate of Chang'an, and the more than six hundred money-collecting clerks behind them, and said in a deep thought, "These people have returned, they must have come prepared, they will not leave without achieving their goal."

Ma Zhou frowned and asked, "Then what should we do?"

Cheng Jun pondered and said, "The Art of War says, 'When the enemy is in the dark and I am in the light, I am focused and the enemy is divided.' When the enemy is in the dark and I am in the light, it is disadvantageous to me. When the enemy is in the light and I am in the dark, it is advantageous to me. When the situation is unclear, we should observe the changes. Now the situation is in my favor, so we should remain as still as a mountain and wait for the enemy to reveal a weakness."

So this is the censor who has studied military strategy? It turns out that censors combined with military strategy have such a miraculous effect... Ma Zhou looked at him and was secretly amazed. He said, "Brother Chuxia is right. Let's wait here for them to show a weakness. I'll go and tie our horses to the side first!"

"Thank you for your trouble, Brother Binwang!"

Cheng Jun handed him the reins, then continued to gaze at the Du family's gate, at Cheng Chumo and Cheng Chuliang, a faint smile on his face.

These people have returned, and this time Yuchi Baolin definitely won't be able to stop them. Fortunately, his eldest and second eldest brothers have arrived, and the other side will definitely be caught off guard.

This time I'll see just how many trump cards Changsun Wuji has up his sleeve...

…………

At the entrance of the Du family's residence.

Yang Zuan, a middle-aged man from Chang'an, suddenly felt a headache.

Cheng Jun, of all people to offend, he had to offend Changsun Wuji, daring to criticize the Empress. Now look what's happened, his brother has come out to settle accounts with him!

Cheng Jun is indeed eloquent, but Changsun Wuji did not give him a chance to speak. An official who cannot speak is already a loser!

He looked at Yuchi Baolin and the six retainers behind him, and asked, "Yuchi Baolin, I heard that you lost something at the Du family. Has it been found yet?"

Yu Chi Baolin replied firmly, "No."

"You've been searching since this morning, and you still haven't found it?"

"I'll send someone to let you know once I find it. Go back and wait for my news!"

"I'm afraid it won't work this time."

Yang Zuan solemnly said, "Yuchi Baolin, you are the son of the Duke of Wu. To be honest, I do not want to offend you, not because I am afraid of you, but because I want to save face for your father."

Yuchi Baolin recalled the attitude of the eight clerks that morning and immediately realized that Yang Zuan had secretly helped him. He clasped his hands and said, "Prefect Yang, you are discerning and I admire you!"

In the Tang Dynasty, "Mingfu" was another name for a county magistrate.

Yang Zuan waved his hand and said, "You flatter me too soon. I told you the whole story so you would know the consequences. Someone is pressuring me to immediately investigate the matter of Du Jingjian and the government office's capital. Now you must step aside. I'm taking Du Jingjian back to the Chang'an County Government Office!"

Yu Chi Baolin asked nervously, "Is the person you're talking about the Minister of Personnel?"

"Yes!"

"Really..." Yu Chi Baolin's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately said, "Don't go in yet, I'll get my father here now!"

"no need."

Yang Zuan took out a whetstone from his bosom, showed it to Yuchi Baolin, and asked, "Do you recognize this?"

A whetstone, also known as a personal sharpening stone, was something that soldiers carried on the battlefield. Starting from the Northern and Southern Dynasties, whetstones with attachments appeared, mostly hanging on belt buckles, serving both as decoration and to signify status.

Yu Chi Baolin recognized the origin of the whetstone at a glance and exclaimed in surprise, "How did my father's whetstone end up in your hands?"

Yang Zuan handed him the whetstone and said in a deep voice, "Don't you understand yet? Someone said they persuaded your father to advise you not to get involved in this matter. This thing is in my hands; it's the token that your father promised that person to advise you not to get involved in this mess."

Yu Chi Baolin retorted, "Bullshit! My father isn't that kind of person!"

"Blockhead..." Yang Zuan was speechless and couldn't help but lower his voice to remind him, "Since you know your father isn't that kind of person, why did he still give you the token? Can you guess why?"

Yuchi Baolin was stunned for a moment, then saw Yang Zuan looking at him with a disappointed expression and pointed to the Cheng brothers who were listening with great interest. He suddenly realized what was going on.

Father believed in Chuxia's abilities and that he wouldn't let Yuchi Baolin ruin the overall situation, which is why he gave him the token with peace of mind.

Yu Chi Baolin immediately stepped aside and looked at the Cheng brothers; now it was up to them.

Yang Zuan then looked at the two brothers, Cheng Chumo and Cheng Chuliang, who were blocking the doorway, and solemnly said:

"Brother Cheng, Second Brother Cheng, I need to take some people in, please make way."

Cheng Chumo shook his head and said, "No!"

"That's so direct..." Yang Zuan twitched the corner of his mouth.

At this moment, Lin, the clerk in charge of seizing money from the Ministry of Personnel, walked over and angrily rebuked, "You are obstructing the investigation!"

Cheng Chumo was stunned. "Who said I obstructed it? No, I didn't, don't talk nonsense!"

Lin Lingshi said, "Then step aside and let Magistrate Yang bring his men in!"

Cheng Chumo resolutely replied, "No!"

Lin Lingshi said, "If you say no, that's obstruction!"

Cheng Chumo thought for a moment and said, "Then ask again."

"Step aside!"

Cheng Chumo said sternly, "Don't even think about it!"

…………

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