Chapter 27

PS: The number of favorites just broke 700, which is a bit disappointing, not as good as the increase a few days ago. However, as I said before, I'll still do a burst update on Sunday. Although it didn't reach the expected level, I'll still do one burst update!

Here's the first update. The second update will be at 8 AM tomorrow, and the third update will be at 8 PM. I also ask for your favorites and recommendations, thank you very much!

The carriage quickly entered the imperial city. Old Qin led Zhao Chen out of the carriage at the palace gate and explained to the gate guards that they needed to see His Majesty. Immediately, a eunuch ran to inform Li Er.

The two stood properly at the palace gate and waited for a while. Then, an old eunuch walked over leisurely and announced that His Majesty was in the Ganlu Hall and had summoned the Right Wuwei General Qin Qiong and the Ge Wu Yuan judge Zhao Chen to an audience.

After the old eunuch finished announcing Li Er's decree, he immediately began to search them. Zhao Chen remembered that the last time he came to the palace, there was no such procedure. But then he realized that last time, he had returned with Li Er, so it made sense.

Old Qin had nothing on him except for the tassel of his seal.

When it was Zhao Chen's turn, the old eunuch first found a bright dagger on him, then a crossbow. Old Qin, watching the eunuch find the crossbow and dagger, although his face was dark, he wasn't surprised because he had seen these things before.

However, when the old eunuch found another crossbow on Zhao Chen, Old Qin couldn't help but become uneasy.

Seeing two identical crossbows, the muscles at the corners of Old Qin's mouth twitched violently. What is this kid planning to do? I know you were scared by that madman, but there's no need to carry two of these crossbows!

If you know, it's for self-defense, but if you don't, it might be mistaken for an attempt to assassinate His Majesty!

The corners of the old eunuch's mouth also twitched. As a palace attendant, he naturally saw the terrifying aspect of these two crossbows, especially the arrowheads... the arrowheads were actually poisoned!

The old eunuch's eyes suddenly widened. How much hatred must this kid have? Even three arrows at once didn't seem secure enough, and he even poisoned the arrowheads. If this arrow were fired, even if it missed a vital spot, it would still be a sure death!

The old eunuch put the crossbows and dagger into a nearby tray and searched Zhao Chen again, just to be safe. Only after confirming that Zhao Chen had nothing else on him did he let the two enter.

Zhao Chen had been secretly relieved when the old eunuch searched Old Qin. He was glad that after the Ge Wu Yuan house was built, he had immediately designed a hidden kitchen to hide his phone. If he had brought it with him, he would have been in trouble today.

As soon as they entered the palace gate, Old Qin gave Zhao Chen a heavy slap on the head and shouted angrily, "Do you know how dangerous it was just now? If it weren't for the fact that you once saved an old attendant's life, they would have captured and killed you on the spot just for carrying those two crossbows!"

Li Er was in the Ganlu Hall. Old Qin led Zhao Chen to the outside of the Ganlu Hall and had Zhao Chen wait outside while he went in to explain the situation to Li Er. Perhaps there were some things that couldn't be said in front of Zhao Chen.

The Ganlu Hall was where Li Er usually worked after leaving the Taiji Palace. When there were no court sessions, Li Er would stay in the Ganlu Hall. Sometimes he would go to the Liangyi Hall in Changsun's palace, but at night, it was hard to say.

Mentioning the concubines, Zhao Chen thought of Yuan Ji's wife. She shouldn't have been secretly added to Li Er's bed yet. At least, that would have to wait until Yuan Ji was buried, otherwise, it would be worse than a beast.

While his mind was wandering, he suddenly noticed a pair of women's feet in front of him. He frowned slightly and followed the sight up the robe, meeting a pair of fiery phoenix eyes.

Changsun? What a jinx! He had just mentioned Changsun Wugui, and now she was standing right in front of him.

He quickly took a step back, knelt down, and said loudly, "Your humble servant, Zhao Chen, the judge of the Ge Wu Yuan, pays respects to Her Majesty the Empress!"

Changsun was very angry, and Zhao Chen felt the fire on his head flare up again. Neither Li Er nor Changsun were easy to deal with. Li Er was a great emperor, but Changsun was no less impressive, and the two were a perfect match.

Changsun's eyebrows arched, and she glared at Zhao Chen. She had seen this kid standing there muttering to himself from a distance, not knowing what he was saying. She saw him frowning and smirking, then shaking his head and sighing, and he didn't even notice her until she was right in front of him. A sudden anger rose in Changsun's heart.

"You are so young, and His Majesty has appointed you as the judge of the Ge Wu Yuan. Instead of striving for progress, you are corrupt and enrich yourself. Do you know your crimes?"

Corrupt and enrich yourself?

Zhao Chen tried to recall his crimes but couldn't remember where he had been corrupt or enriched himself. Since coming to the Ge Wu Yuan, the Ministry of Works hadn't given him a single coin. The money for building the house came from selling the glass he had obtained. The gold he had extorted from the rich young men had all been handed over to Hu Lu and recorded.

Corruption? There has to be something to corrupt, right?

"Your humble servant does not know the crimes you mentioned. I have not committed these crimes, and I hope Your Majesty will enlighten me!" He was truly aggrieved. The first time he met Li Er, Li Er wanted to cut off his head without a word. The first time he met Changsun, she accused him of corruption without any reason.

Why?

"Hmph! I thought of warning you because of your youth, but you refuse to admit your crimes!" Changsun couldn't help but huff, her eyes blazing as she glared at Zhao Chen, her voice stern.

Zhao Chen swore that when Changsun said this, he saw a glint in her eyes. As soon as he saw that glint, he inwardly groaned.

Sure enough, he heard Changsun's cold voice above him, "I ask you, where did the gold from Jinmai Mountain go? Can you say it wasn't you who took it?"

At this moment, Zhao Chen's admiration for Changsun was like a surging river, unstoppable! She was ruthless! She could casually meet you and casually accuse you of a crime, and the accusation was so well-founded that it left you speechless!

This was even more ruthless than Li Er. Li Er just wanted to cut off heads all day but couldn't even give a specific reason. When he destroyed Wei Zheng's tombstone during the Goguryeo campaign, he quickly restored it after the campaign failed, pretending to be heartbroken over losing Wei Zheng.

But Changsun! She had a reason and a basis, leaving you speechless.

Back at Jinmai Mountain, he had been targeted by that madman and was afraid of any mistakes, so he hurriedly returned and sold a small bag of gold he had collected over a few days to buy the chainmail armor he was wearing.

He had long forgotten about this, but now Changsun had remembered it. Zhao Chen could only admire Changsun.

"Your humble servant knows his mistake. If it weren't for Your Majesty's keen insight and timely discovery, I would still be ignorant! I will remember Your Majesty's warning and never make such a mistake again!"

Zhao Chen knelt before Changsun, crying profusely, truly looking like someone who had committed a grave error and was repenting.

Changsun's lips curled slightly, revealing a cold smile. This kid was smooth-talking, trying to get her to let him off, but there was no way she would let him off so easily.

She cleared her throat and said sternly, "Corruption and enriching oneself are not tolerated by the law. Once discovered, the penalty is death!"

As she spoke, she noticed Zhao Chen looking at her with a strange expression. She coughed lightly, feeling a bit guilty, and continued, "However, since His Majesty has granted you a golden token that can save you from death three times, today's death penalty will be offset by the token!"

"Your humble servant thanks Your Majesty for sparing my life!" Zhao Chen couldn't help but sigh. Indeed, in this era, even with a golden token, there was no sense of security!

Just like that, a life was lost in a blink. Zhao Chen felt the golden token in his hand seemed to lose some of its luster.

At this moment, a eunuch came out of the Ganlu Hall and announced that His Majesty had summoned the judge of the Ge Wu Yuan, Zhao Chen, to an immediate audience.

Changsun, hearing that Qin Shubao was in the Ganlu Hall, stopped in her tracks. Whenever Li Er was discussing matters with ministers, Changsun would always keep her distance.

Zhao Chen bowed to Changsun and silently followed the eunuch into the Ganlu Hall.

Watching Zhao Chen enter the Ganlu Hall, Changsun sighed. She had been observing Zhao Chen's actions recently. He had found gold mines, presented steel-making techniques, treated Liu Cheng's injuries, given Sun Simiao's prescriptions, and built the Ge Wu Yuan. To raise money for the construction, he had even sold the glass given to him by his master!

Now, that piece of glass was in her hands, a rare and exquisite piece, finely crafted and shimmering. He had sold it without hesitation to build the Ge Wu Yuan.

Corruption and enriching oneself, Changsun sighed. That kid must have felt very aggrieved when he heard those charges!

Speaking of the Ge Wu Yuan, one couldn't help but mention those unruly young nobles. Whether it was Chong'er or Yuanjing, they were all troublemakers, young and always frequenting brothels, drinking, and causing trouble, never obeying any rules.

But since they entered the Ge Wu Yuan, they had all changed. When the Ge Wu Yuan was being renovated, they all pitched in, working alongside the guards on the dirtiest and hardest tasks. When His Majesty mentioned this, she didn't believe it at first, but when she saw it through a telescope from the palace gate, she was convinced.

Just thinking about that day, Changsun couldn't help but clench her teeth. This kid had ordered a group of noble young men to work while he leisurely drank tea and read books on the side, truly infuriating!

He was smart and kind, but he had come from a hidden sect. If not for that, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to deal with a child!

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