Imperial Inspector

Early the next morning.

Last night, I spoke with His Majesty and we talked about the things Suhe most wanted to discuss.

Even though he appeared calm in front of the emperor, the turmoil in his heart didn't subside until the next day.

At Chenshi (7-9 AM), the imperial physician came in and changed the medicine again.

Just after the medicine was changed, a young eunuch brought over a set of seventh-rank official robes.

The robe was made to the size of an ordinary man. Suhe had been starving in prison for ten days, and even with the belt pulled to the innermost hole, it still sagged when he walked.

The eunuch tried to fix it for him twice, but it was still not right. He could only say, "Lord Su, please make do for now. We'll have the Imperial Wardrobe fix it later."

Su He glanced at his cuffs: "It's alright."

Wearing a slightly oversized official robe, Su He got into the carriage provided by the palace.

His Majesty gave three months, which isn't much, but fortunately Suhe is very experienced in finding the Ancestor of Flames.

The first thing he had to do was to go to the archives of the Jin Si, where there were too many files he needed.

The carriage left the palace gates and soon arrived at Xun Jin Si.

Suhe got off the car.

The constables at the gate recognized Su He: "Su... Lord..."

The sheer amount of information from Su He's appearance, coupled with his seventh-rank official robes, left the constable somewhat bewildered.

Su He walked straight into the duty room and saw his original desk, with the Ministry of Justice's red label still firmly affixed to it.

In the duty room, some people put down their teacups, and some stopped writing; their expressions were similar to those of the previous constables.

This resulted in no one saying anything even though he had been inside for a long time.

Su He's mind was on the files. Now that he had power, he couldn't wait to dive into the clues, so he didn't bother with any pleasantries.

He went to a desk and said to the clerk in charge, "Old Liu, please retrieve the two urgent reports from Changluo County, as well as the old scrolls that I sealed in the West Treasury before I stopped my duties."

The clerk blinked and asked, "Su He, you...you're out of prison?"

Before Suhe could answer, hurried footsteps interrupted the conversation.

Upon receiving the message, Zhou Fu quickly walked downstairs.

He glanced at the brand-new official robe and habitually put on a smile: "Su He, you're lucky. Even the Ministry of Justice couldn't keep you here."

Suhe knew Zhou Fu well.

He's the kind of person who's a smiling tiger, always bullying the weak and fearing the strong. If he shows any weakness, Zhou Fu will definitely wear a smile and do all sorts of delaying and obstruction within the rules.

"Smack."

Su He took out the patrol talisman and placed it on the table. "Quickly retrieve the scroll."

Zhou Fu didn't touch the bronze talisman, he only glanced at it from below:

"Suhe, you've been in the company for so many years, you know the rules. I haven't received your reinstatement documents, so you can't be transferred."

Zhou Fu gestured for the clerk to close the file. "According to the official records, you are still a person suspended from duty awaiting punishment. You want to open the West Treasury of the Xun Jin Department with a copper token of unknown origin? This is unacceptable."

"Is that so?" Suhe put the copper talisman back into his sleeve. "Then please ask Lord Zhou to issue a reply refusing the transfer."

Zhou Fu frowned.

Suhe: "Since you are following the procedure, then as the chief official in charge of the archives, you need to clearly state the reasons why the files cannot be retrieved."

Zhou Fu did not answer immediately, his mind quickly processing the situation on the spot.

He does things according to the rules, there are no problems, and he can be explained anywhere.

As for whether Suhe is working for some important figure...

Zhou Fu knew all about this peasant's life from childhood to adulthood. Who would be so blind as to take a liking to this kid?

Zhou Fu's mind was crystal clear, and he finally grinned, "Okay, get the paper."

His pen moved swiftly and fluidly, writing very quickly:

[The clerk of Suhe Office is currently unaccounted for, and his copper tally has not been verified. He is not permitted to open the treasury or retrieve the documents.]

After Zhou Fu finished writing, he signed his name at the end, pressed his official seal on it, and pushed the paper over.

"Take this, and don't say I didn't give you an explanation."

The ink was still wet when Suhe took it and left.

Zhou Fu chuckled and went back upstairs.

He sat back in the armchair, leisurely placing a pinch of Longjing tea into his teacup and gently shaking it.

Steam rose from the teacup. Zhou Fu picked up the teacup, blew on it a few times, and began to savor the tea.

"A pot of Longjing tea in one sip—even the Minister of Revenue can't compare to me!"

He sipped tea cup after cup with a soft hum, and when Zhou Fu was brewing the fifth infusion, a commotion suddenly arose downstairs.

Zhou Fu frowned, then pushed open the door and went out.

There were many people in the duty room at this time. Zhou Fu quickly saw the person who was shouting, and his right eyelid twitched immediately after he saw clearly.

Suhe returned, this time with two more eunuchs by his side.

One of the eunuchs looked around, unfolded a document, and read it aloud.

"By imperial decree, Suhe is appointed as a seventh-rank patrol inspector, tasked with investigating corrupt officials and reviewing all cases in the archives of the Bureau of Investigation and Statistics. No one may obstruct his actions."

The voice faded, and the duty room fell silent.

The seventh rank isn't high in the capital, but the responsibility of investigating corrupt officials is quite interesting.

Zhou Fu rushed downstairs, knelt before the eunuch delivering the imperial edict, and extended both hands to receive the decree.

After getting up, he examined everything from beginning to end, even checking the gaps in the inner palace seal. During this time, his expression changed repeatedly, finally settling into a smile.

This smile is different from the previous ones; this smile is ingratiating, a desire for reconciliation.

"Brother Su, since you are an official sent by the Emperor, if you had clarified your identity earlier, this misunderstanding wouldn't have happened, wouldn't you agree?"

"Lord Zhou, you're mistaken. I placed the bronze talisman on the table as soon as I entered the room."

Su He showed no mercy, even reiterating the previously signed refusal to be transferred, "Lord Zhou's previous obstruction, was there something fishy going on? Can I assume that Lord Zhou's integrity is questionable?"

The smile on Zhou Fu's face finally vanished, replaced by an expression as if he had swallowed a dead fly. After a long pause, he finally uttered four words: "It was all a misunderstanding."

Kindness invites more bullying; a more ruthless and forceful Suhe makes some people afraid of trouble.

Zhou Fu quickly had someone write the document authorizing the opening of the treasury.

Su He took it and read it: "The duty roster for that day is still missing."

"Give it to him," Zhou Fu said.

...

One hour later.

Suhe borrowed a separate office room and had the books he needed moved from the storeroom one by one.

This time, it's no longer a clandestine investigation or a cautious look.

Suhe categorized and arranged all kinds of information and materials into a column, compared them one by one, and then listed the missing signatures separately.

For the first time, he experienced the convenience that power brings.

In the past, if he wanted to investigate something, he had to hide it and find various excuses to apply for it. But now, if he wants to know something, he only needs to shout outside, and the relevant information will be delivered in no time.

Su He was so engrossed in his work that he forgot to eat and sleep, and when he looked up again, it was already dark outside the window.

Only then did he notice that Wu Huaiyi was already standing at the door, having been waiting for who knows how long.

Angkor.

"You're really alive."

Wu Huaiyi stepped forward a few steps. "This is no ordinary person. I have never seen Zhou Fu's face look so bad."

Suhe took out a small cloth bag from her bosom and handed it over.

"Here you go."

When Wu Huaiyi opened it, he saw that it was the money he had borrowed back then, and the amount was exactly the same.

"If I had known you would actually dare to beat the drum, I shouldn't have lent it to you that day."

Despite saying that, he still accepted the silver and glanced at Su He's bronze talisman twice: "Seventh rank?"

Suhe said, "It's temporary."

Wu Huaiyi smiled and said, "I used to always advise you not to investigate, afraid that you would cause trouble and implicate others. But this time I won't advise you anymore. Maybe you were right."

......

at the same time.

Deep within the palace.

There is a courtyard here, which is usually off-limits to outside officials. Only two buildings stand in the courtyard.

The east side houses the ancestral hall of the Li family, which enshrines the emperors of the Li family throughout history.

The western side is dedicated to only one person and is called the First Emperor's Tower.

Li Youchan first went upstairs to offer incense at the Li Clan Ancestral Hall, and then went upstairs to the First Emperor's Tower.

There is no golden statue in the First Emperor's Tower, only an old portrait. The person in the painting looks young, and his eyes have an invincible confidence.

After offering incense, Li Youchan stared at the portrait for a long time.

He didn't come out of the building until the bamboo incense had burned out.

Feng Ruan waited at the bottom of the stone steps: "Your Majesty, the sentries and spies have gone out following the clues we've gathered, and this old servant has also arranged for someone to keep an eye on Su He."

Li Youchan glanced at him.

Feng Ruan continued, "This servant thinks that if Su He finds the clues first, the spies should be withdrawn to avoid them running into each other. If our people find... a patrol officer who knows too much, keeping him around will only cause trouble."

Li Youchan did not object, but simply nodded.

He gazed at the sky, as if talking to himself or asking a question:

"If Emperor Yan truly returns, what should I do?"

......

Inside the Prime Minister's residence.

Yang Qinghe sat under a tree reading a book.

A pigeon landed on the stone table. He took the narrow piece of paper off its leg; it had only four words on it.

[Suhe enters the palace.]

Yang Qinghe glanced at the paper, crumpled it into a ball, placed it on the corner of the table, and returned her gaze to the book.

After a while.

He spoke to the empty courtyard.

"The time is right. If you want to go find it, then go."

As soon as the words were spoken, the tree canopy swayed slightly, and a gray shadow flashed by.