Xiang Zhong didn't quite understand what he meant. Fei Li tilted his body and said in surprise, "Of course not. Could it be that the Head Chief doesn't trust Xiang Zhong?"
Shangguan Qing's face darkened slightly. "It's because I believe in you that I'm giving you a chance. It's not too late for you to admit it now. I can still find a way to protect you. If you insist to the end, no one can save you. You'd better think carefully before you speak!"
Although he had always been in charge of the Shadow Guards, as the chief steward of the Heavenly Court, he couldn't just take care of the Shadow Guards. He naturally needed someone to share his burdens, and the person who could help him was naturally someone he trusted. That person was Xiang Zhong, so he really didn't want anything to happen to someone he trusted.
Unexpectedly, Xiang Zhong seemed to have suffered a great humiliation. He straightened his neck and said indignantly, "The people of the Right Supervisory Department can distrust me, but does the Head Chief think that Xiang Zhong is lying?"
"You still want to hide it from me?" Shangguan Qing was infuriated as well. He threw a few jade archives in front of Miao Yi and said, "Then what is this? Could it be that the brothers down there have collectively tricked you?"
Xiang Zhong quickly took out the jade archive to check what it was. He discovered that it was a confession from one of his brothers. The more he read, the more confused he became.
"Do you really not know or are you pretending to be confused? Do you want me to call the others over to confront them and embarrass you as the leader?" Shangguan Qing gritted his teeth, feeling a little exasperated that he had not lived up to his expectations.
After a moment of confusion, Xiang Zhong suddenly came to a realization. He raised his hand and slapped his forehead. "I remember now. That time, the six of us were eating and drinking in a restaurant. During the banquet, an old man was singing with his granddaughter. I noticed that a ruffian seemed to be eyeing the granddaughter of the old man. From the window of the restaurant, I saw the granddaughter and granddaughter leave the restaurant and walk into the alley diagonally opposite. The ruffian followed them in. I guessed that the ruffian was up to no good, so I temporarily left the restaurant and entered that alley. Just as I had expected, I found that ruffian attacking the old man and knocking him down. He had kidnapped the girl and was about to escape when I made my move to deal with that ruffian. It was just a small matter, not worth mentioning. After I returned, I didn't mention it to my brothers. That's how it is. "
Shangguan Qing had thought that he had some private matters that were inconvenient to be exposed, but he did not expect it to be such a matter. He immediately said in a low voice, "Then why didn't you tell me earlier when you were supervising the Right Ministry?"
Xiang Zhong said with a bitter face, "Those greedy bastards from the Right Supervisory Department only mentioned the time and place during the interrogation. They asked me to think about what I did. It's been more than a thousand years, who would remember such a small thing?"
Shangguan Qing sneered, "Then why do you remember it now?"
Xiang Zhong: "Didn't the Head Chief show me our brothers' statements? It described the situation in detail and helped me recall it. Xiang Zhong spoke the truth and did not hide anything from the Head Chief! "
Shangguan Qing said, "I can believe you, but can others? You didn't even say anything when you were tortured in the Right Supervisory Department, and you even said that you were innocent. Now that you've been released, you remember everything. Who would believe you? Can you find witnesses and material evidence to prove what you did? "
Xiang Zhong was alarmed. "It's been more than a thousand years. I'm afraid even their bones have turned into ashes. Where can I find witnesses?"
Shangguan Qing: "Who would believe you without evidence? Let me tell you, His Majesty has already read and personally reviewed your interrogation records. Do you think His Majesty will believe you now that you've come up with such a reason? "
Xiang Zhong: "Xiang Zhong's loyalty to His Majesty can be proven by heaven and earth!"
Anyone could say such things, but was it useful? Shangguan Qing shook his head.
There were some things that he could not say to Xiang Zhong. Emperors had always been suspicious. When one person ruled the world, there would always be things that they could not see or care about. Many things were said by their subordinates. Therefore, emperors since ancient times were afraid of being fooled by others. Therefore, whether it was in heaven or on earth, emperors were all the same. They were all suspicious!
This was also the reason why he did not forcibly stop the Shadow Guards from being sent to the Right Supervisory Department. If he had forcibly stopped it, His Majesty would have doubted his intentions. Therefore, he waited until the limelight passed and His Majesty calmed down. Then he found a suitable opportunity to state the pros and cons and beg His Majesty to release the Shadow Guards. But who would have thought that the Shadow Guards that he thought were clean were actually found to be so suspicious by Gao Guan? Who could guarantee that there were no problems with these suspicious points?
Now, he really felt that this matter was a little tricky. The key was that he could not eliminate all these suspicious points to the point where His Majesty did not suspect anything. This was really troublesome. If he had known earlier, he would have stopped His Majesty from sending the people to the Right Supervisory Department for investigation.
"Sigh!" Shangguan Qing sighed. He kept the jade archive and turned to leave.
Xiang Zhong turned sideways and shouted, "Head Chief!"
"You stay here and recuperate!" Shangguan Qing waved his hand and left.
When he came to the courtyard, he saw a group of eager men. Shangguan Qing's lips tightened. He slowly said, "Huzi Xing, Zuo Chang 'an …"
He called out the names of twenty-six people in one go. Those whose names were called dragged their bodies that had not fully recovered and stood up. They were all waiting for the Head Chief to say something. Unexpectedly, Shangguan Qing said something shocking. "Men, take them away and keep an eye on them separately."
As soon as he finished speaking, a group of Divine Generals rushed over. Four of them escorted one person out.
The Shadow Guards were shocked. Some of them blocked the door and refused to let them take the people away. Someone shouted, "Head Chief, why are you doing this?"
Seeing that they dared to block the way, Shangguan Qing shouted in a deep voice, "What are you trying to do? Are you trying to rebel?"
Someone immediately shouted, "Head Chief, there has to be an explanation for this, right?"
Shangguan Qing said, "What is there to explain? Those who are innocent will be innocent, and those who are guilty will be guilty. There are suspicious points on them. If they are innocent, then they should just accept the investigation. It's just a quarantine and an investigation. What are you afraid of? Get out of my way! "
It turned out that the matter of coming out from the Right Supervisory Department was not over yet … The people blocking the door slowly moved to make way, but each of them looked sullen.
Just like that, twenty-six people were escorted away. Shangguan Qing, who was walking at the back, stopped and looked back. He looked at the crowd and looked in the direction of Xiang Zhong's temporary residence.
According to the name list of the Right Supervisory Department, there were a total of twenty-seven suspicious people. The leader of the Shadow Guards, Xiang Zhong, was also among them. However, he only took twenty-six people away and did not take Xiang Zhong away. It was not that he did not want to carry out the order, but it was inconvenient to take Xiang Zhong away for fear that something would happen to the Shadow Guards. He believed that Xiang Zhong could see the big picture and help him to stabilize the Shadow Guards. If the leader of the Shadow Guards was taken away, the Shadow Guards would be completely disheartened. Without a leader, it would be troublesome once they lost control.
Shangguan Qing left rather helplessly. He still had to think of a way to explain this matter to Lord Qing.
As soon as he left, the group of Shadow Guards immediately ran to Xiang Zhong's room. There was a crowd inside the room and another crowd outside the room. They were all talking about the twenty-six brothers being taken away.
Xiang Zhong looked at his broken body lying on the bed and sighed, "Everyone, don't quarrel anymore. The Head Chief must have his reasons for doing this."
However, some people were extremely angry, "Big Brother, we are loyal to His Majesty. We were sent to the prison of the Right Supervisory Department for trial, and we surrendered. We were tortured and tortured, and we accepted it. Now, he wants to isolate our brothers for investigation. There is no end to this. How much does he not trust us? What does His Majesty want to do?"
Another person said with grief and indignation, "The martial arts we practice are destined to not have any disloyalty. We have no family, no job, no power, and are raised like pigs in a pen. We will do whatever His Majesty asks us to do. Our brothers have risked their lives for His Majesty and worked hard. Now, we are treated like this. It is so disappointing …"
"Shut up!" Xiang Zhong turned back and roared, "Are you tired of living? What nonsense are you talking about?"
Although everyone shut up, the grief and indignation on their faces could not be concealed …
In the Sunset Garden of the Heavenly Palace, Qing Zhu dismissed the accompanying maids and strolled alone in the courtyard.
Needless to say, there were all kinds of rare and exotic flowers and plants in the garden. He slowly walked to a green wall and touched a purple flower that grew out of the green wall. He asked calmly, "How's the investigation on the right side?"
There was no one around, and no one knew who he was talking to.
However, someone on the other side of the invisible green wall spoke. The voice was soft and indistinct, and no one knew who was speaking on the other side. "In the Right Supervisory Department, the interrogation of the Shadow Guards in the prison was not biased from the beginning to the end. They were not given preferential treatment because they were Shadow Guards, nor were they given extra evidence because they were Shadow Guards. They were interrogated according to the old rules. There was nothing out of line, and there was no evidence of falsification in the confessions obtained."
Qing Zhu nodded slightly and asked, "What is the situation on Shangguan Qing's side? Are all the suspicious people under control?"
The indistinct voice on the other side of the green wall replied, "After Shangguan Qing went there, he did not immediately arrest the people. Instead, he dismissed the others and the leader of the Shadow Guards, Xiang Zhong, stayed alone in the room for a while. Outsiders could not get close and did not know what was going on inside. After Shangguan Qing came out of Xiang Zhong's room, he ordered the twenty-six people to be taken away and isolated for investigation. As for Xiang Zhong, Shangguan Qing did not touch him. After Shangguan Qing left, a group of people rushed into Xiang Zhong's room and started talking … "
No one knew how this mysterious person knew the news. The reaction of the Shadow Guards when they gathered in Xiang Zhong's room and the dissatisfaction they vented were roughly repeated by him.
Qing Zhu's slender eyes narrowed, and a fierce glint flashed across them. He plucked the purple flower from the green wall and crushed it between his fingers. Without another word, he turned around and left as if nothing had happened.
Over at the phantom market, Miao Yi didn't have much to do. The reason the higher-ups sent him here was so that it would be easier for him to coordinate his subordinates. There was no need for him to personally take care of the spies. In addition, Zhan Ruyi was now like a stranger to him and rarely saw him. Miao Yi was happy to be at ease, and handed the task of coordinating his subordinates over to Yang Zhaoqing. He himself spent his days strolling around the phantom market with Yan Xiu.
Miao Yi also visited the brothel called Endless Moon Breeze a few times. Of course, he wasn't visiting the brothel girls, but Yun Zhiqiu.
Yun Zhiqiu didn't stay in the phantom market for long either, and left in less than a month.
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