Start with detective Li Yuanfang

Chapter 558 Can an Honest Man Become a Confidant of the Empress Dowager?

"Miraculous doctor Xue... Miracle doctor Xue... how could it be so... ahhh!"

In Funing Palace, the Empress Dowager Xiang lay on the couch, howled dryly for a while, then lay down powerlessly, with a pale expression.

The maidservants and servants beside her burst into tears: "Saint! The saint must take care of the phoenix body!"

This cry used to be loyalty to the master, but now it is worry about his own situation.

They are all old people in the Queen Mother's former palace, and they have followed since the Queen's time. As the Queen Mother took power, of course their status has also risen, and they have become more prestigious in the palace.

It's a pity that the good times didn't last long. In just half a year, the situation took a turn for the worse. Not to mention the death of the two county kings, now the sad news came from the imperial hospital that Dr. Xue had suffered a headache and died immediately.

This was a great blow to the Empress Dowager, not only because she believed in the imperial doctor's medical skills the most, but also because the people close to her left one after another, and a thought came to her involuntarily: "Could it be that... God wants to accept me?"

The nearest maidservant almost collapsed on the ground when she heard these words, but anyone who has this thought is really not far from death.

At this moment, a report came from outside the palace: "Gongsun Zhao of the Kaifeng government office asked to see the queen mother."

Empress Dowager Xiang suddenly became angry: "I don't want to see that Kaifeng judge... Those who can't catch the murderer are all trash... Fortunately, I even gave him a fifth-grade clothes... Trash! Trash!"

The personal servant turned his eyes and said: "Saint, this is the first time that Judge Gongsun has asked for an audience. You might as well call him in and listen to what he has to say. If there is any more nonsense, just take off his official robe!"

Xiang Empress mourned again: "I've wanted to do this for a long time... But they are all obedient and obedient... They don't want to listen..."

The servants did not dare to say anything, because they were all high-ranking officials, especially the four important ministers headed by Zhang Dun, Han Zhongyan, Zeng Bu, and Cai Bian.

Now the court is arguing endlessly around the matter of Wuyoudong, the new party and the old party refuse to give in to each other, and spit is flying around, but the number of visits to Funing Palace is getting less and less.

The prestige of the Empress Dowager Xiang has been hit unprecedentedly, and the trend of losing power is very obvious, so even the servants know that when facing a courtier who comes forward on his own initiative, he should at least meet him.

But the Empress Dowager Xiang mainly listened to the second half of the sentence before agreeing to meet. She managed to pull herself together and spoke coherently: "Let him in, if you keep talking about excuses, the Kaifeng government office won't need a judge!"

After a while, Gongsun Zhao followed the servant into the hall and bowed: "I pay homage to the Queen Mother!"

Empress Dowager Xiang stood up slowly with the help of her maid, and looked directly at the young official who was promoted by herself: "Judge Gongsun, I have treated you so generously, but you have repeatedly disappointed me, what new excuse did you think of today? Speak, old man, listen!"

Regarding this kind of statement, Gongsun Zhao argued hard at first, but was scolded even more severely. At this time, he stopped explaining and said directly: "Report to the Queen Mother, I have caught the murderer in Wuyou Cave."

Empress Dowager Xiang was displeased and turned angry: "How dare you be like that Han Xiu, who caught an idler in front of the county prince's mansion, put him in prison and tortured him, and then came to pretend to be the murderer?"

Gongsun Zhao said categorically: "Since I have been the judge of Kaifeng for eight years, I have always been very cautious when arresting criminals. I have never done anything like torture. I hope the Queen Mother will learn from you!"

He knew that the Empress Dowager would not be able to tell the truth, so he continued without pause: "The culprit identified by the minister is Mei Qian, the treasurer of Tie Xue Lou."

Empress Dowager Xiang was stunned: "Tie Xuelou? I seem to have heard of this name..."

The servant girl beside her reminded her in a low voice, and it was only then that the Empress Dowager came to her senses: "How can the shopkeeper of Bianjing Zhengdian be a thief from Wuyoudong?"

Gongsun Zhao did not let the queen mother read the case file, but took out the case file himself, and listed the above testimony: "Since the third year of Shaosheng, Tiexuelou has provided food for Wuyoudong with as much as tens of thousands of stones. He confessed, and identified the waiters in the building, [-] people who knew about it, including the other three shopkeepers, so it can be seen that this was not done by an individual, but a collusion that everyone in the building participated in."

Empress Dowager Xiang was puzzled: "Why would Tie Xuelou do such a thing?"

Gongsun Zhaodao: "According to the treasurer Mei Qian's account, they are ordered by the Houjiang Guild, and the food reserves are definitely not something that an official store can do. This matter involves many people, and I dare not startle the snake, so I report to the Queen Mother, please make a decision! "

The Empress Dowager likes to ask her courtiers to let her decide, but she is afraid of this matter. Behind the seventy-two main stores, there are inextricably linked relationships, not to mention the top-ranked Tie Xue Lou and the six major guilds. , her face was ugly, and she murmured: "But these people are not the murderers who killed the county king!"

Gongsun Zhao's heart turned cold.

How many innocent people are killed every year in Wuyoudong, isn't it the murderer who killed your brother, so don't arrest him?
He took a deep breath, suppressed his emotions, and began to deal with the queen mother strictly according to his brother's instructions: "I tell the queen mother that although these thieves did not directly murder the county king, it was their support that made the murderers in Wuyou cave even more arrogant. This group of thieves must be wiped out in one go, and all of them will be punished!"

Accepting this statement from the Queen Mother, her eyes were red, revealing deep sorrow and hatred: "Yes, if there is no food from them, the culprits in Wuyou Cave will not be able to survive, so why do you want to kill that poor old brother? You should kill him!" ! Everyone should be killed!"

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Gongsun Zhao said again: "The case of Tie Xuelou is also related to the case of the murder of Imperial Doctor Xue."

Empress Dowager Xiang was startled: "Miraculous Doctor Xue was also killed? But isn't it rumored from the Imperial Hospital that Miracle Doctor Xue died of a brain disease?"

"Other imperial physicians in the Imperial Hospital are indeed very dissatisfied with Imperial Physician Xue. Fortunately, my elder brother did not act to treat the Empress Dowager, otherwise there will be endless disasters..."

Gongsun Zhao's thoughts turned in his mind, and he began to explain: "I have already arrested the murderer. It is Xue Yuyi's concubine Xinu. This girl is born in Xiaotianshui Lane. She is ungrateful and murders her benefactor. Heaven will not tolerate it!"

"More importantly, the Taoyaofang where she lives is also admitted by the shopkeeper, Mei Qian, that it has a connection with Wuyou Cave, and it is also supported by the Houjiang Guild!"

After discussing the connection with the Queen Mother, he slowly straightened his waist: "Judge Gongsun, what do you mean?"

Gongsun Zhaodao: "The murder of Imperial Physician Xue was aimed at the Empress Dowager. Wuyoudong does not want a Empress Dowager who insists on eliminating thieves to be in power!"

The body of the Queen Mother trembled, and she was furious: "A group of thieves killed the county king and murdered the imperial doctor, and now even the old man... what else do they dare not do! Reverse! Reverse!! Cough cough!!!"

Seeing that the Queen Mother was coughing again and again with excitement, the palace servant hurried forward to give her comfort, while Gongsun Zhao continued: "Wuyou Cave has not been cleared for many years, so I have no scruples, but all the ministers in the court are only fighting for the party, and they have been slow to stop." Acting real hands has fueled their arrogance, not to mention the thieves who are blinded by profit and collude with Wuyoudong..."

The servants and maidservants in the palace were all shocked. They had seen many courtiers, but apart from Mr. Zhang Dunzhang, which courtier would dare to act like this. Every word he said was severely offending people!
But Gongsun Zhao was never afraid of offending people. Didn't he offend more people with his previous actions?

It's just that at that time, he simply offended others, and everyone didn't like him, a military minister who didn't give anyone face, so he was repeatedly excluded. Now Gongsun Zhao is getting corresponding support while offending people: " Compared with the court officials, only the Empress Dowager really wants to destroy the thief, Wuyoudong naturally regards the Empress Dowager as a thorn in the flesh, and we all regard the Empress Dowager as the nemesis of the murderer!"

The Empress Dowager Xiang suddenly said with hatred: "That's right! A group of thieves treat the imperial court like nothing, and if they don't destroy the Wuyou Cave, they will go to their old age, and they will not rest in peace, let alone see their ancestors!"

As soon as this remark came out, she stood up even more, preparing to use the Wuyou Cave as an entry point to regain control of the government.

People living in this world must have one thought. Not long ago, the Empress Dowager was all hopeless, and she was not far from death. At this moment, she regained her fighting spirit, and her spirit changed suddenly. He changed drastically: "Judge Gongsun, I did not misunderstand you, you are indeed a true loyal minister!"

Gongsun Zhao pursed his lips, feeling sad instead of happy. He really hated this selfish, stupid and incompetent queen mother, but in order to improve the country, he had to rely on the power of those in power.

Fortunately, on the point of destroying Wuyou Cave, the two sides had the same ideas, and he settled down and said: "Please rest assured, Queen Mother, I will definitely not be afraid of hardships and dangers, wipe out the gang of thieves, and restore Bianjing to a real peace!"

He said to the queen mother: "Okay! I will give you an edict to search Tiexuelou and Taoyaofang. Once the evidence is convincing, immediately take action against General Hou and cut off all the thieves who colluded with Wuyoudong!"

Gongsun Zhaozhen said: "Yes! I have another request!"

The empress dowager said kindly: "Let's talk!"

Gongsun Zhaodao: "I invite the internal officials to accompany you, and report the case to the Queen Mother in time."

Empress Dowager Xiang was a little surprised. Since the death of King Yongyang and King Yongjia, she had no trusted ministers in the outer dynasty. Just now she had the idea of ​​letting the servants around her follow her, but she was hesitant to say it right away. Unexpectedly, the other party offered to propose it, and he was immediately overjoyed: "Judge Gongsun is very considerate, so I will do as you say!"

The servants in Funing Palace's eyes lit up, their eyes were kind, and they took the initiative to give them the opportunity to make meritorious deeds and gain power. Who wouldn't like such an official, and they will have to speak more nice words in front of the Queen Mother later.

And after the imperial edict was drawn up to the Queen Mother, sealed and bestowed on Gongsun Zhao, a more familiar servant followed him out of the palace. , I’ve met Judge Gongsun! Judge Gongsun will stop there if he doesn’t make a sound, and he will be a blockbuster. In the future, he will be far and far away, and I hope you will take care of him a lot!”

Gongsun Zhao was noncommittal, but when he took Guo Kai out of the imperial city and fell into the eyes of many caring people, he soon discovered that everything had changed again.

The news spread quickly.

The ministers were shocked.

This well-known honest man who can only work hard and not be an official has become a cronies of the Queen Mother?

　Thanks to the book friends "Secondary II is not a disease l" and "Book friends 20210305235445612" for their rewards.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)