There is a god in the sky

Chapter 284 The City God Temple Turmoil 11

Lord Chu has been coming to the yamen more and more often lately.

I really can't not come.

"His Majesty proposed at the morning court session today to establish a secret guard within the Imperial City Guard, under the command of Commander Zhao, to secretly purge the rebels in Bianjing City and also to supervise court officials and aristocratic families."

Several officials from the Judicial Commissioner's Office sat in front of Lord Chu. He looked them over from left to right, and finally fixed his gaze on Xiao Ji.

The Provincial Judicial Commissioner has been inactive for years, largely because he is old and doesn't care about his duties, and none of his subordinates are outstanding.

Now there is Xiao Ji, who is favored by the emperor and has outstanding abilities. Even when facing Zhao Jinxiao, he is not at a disadvantage.

But he was too young.

If he can grow for a few more years, the Criminal Investigation Department will surely be able to regain its former glory of ten years ago.

"You need to be aware that the secret guards are everywhere, so you need to be more careful about what you say at home and outside from now on."

During the reign of the late emperor, the Imperial City Guard was a place that struck fear into the hearts of men. Later, due to its excessive power and disregard for human life, many of its powers were restricted.

Everyone felt a mix of emotions.

No one likes having their privacy invaded, especially officials who are not exactly upright themselves.

"Lord Xiao handled the case of the Crown Prince's assassination well, and the Emperor and Empress were very satisfied."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than an official ran in to report: "My lords, someone from the palace has arrived, saying that Her Majesty the Empress has bestowed a reward upon Lord Xiao!"

The other officials all congratulated Xiao Ji.

Having received a reward from the Empress, Xiao Ji will now be considered a person of favor with the Crown Prince.

Others might not receive such treatment even after more than a decade of hard work.

For a moment, the officials had mixed feelings, but they also admired Xiao Ji's abilities.

Lord Chu straightened his clothes and led a group of officials from the Judicial Commissioner out to receive their reward.

Xiao Ji thought he would see Eunuch Li, the most favored eunuch by the Empress's side, but he didn't expect that it was not him who came to deliver the reward.

Many of the Empress's gifts were items suitable for women, and the eunuchs who came to deliver the gifts also congratulated Xiao Ji with smiles.

"I heard that Lord Xiao will soon be marrying his beautiful bride. The Empress has specially selected some jewelry that women like. Please don't let her good intentions go to waste."

Xiao Ji wasn't really keen on appreciating the favor, but he still had to politely express his gratitude.

After delivering these things home, his letter of annulment was also placed in front of Xiao's father.

"Are you crazy?" Mr. Xiao slammed his hand on the table and stood up.

He stared at the letter announcing the termination of the engagement in disbelief, somewhat doubting that the person standing in front of him was his son.

His son, who had never caused him any trouble or given him any worries since childhood, was actually going to call off the engagement a few months before the wedding!

"You'd better give me a good reason!"

Xiao Ji lifted his robe and knelt down.

“Father, I know this decision was sudden and irrational, but I don’t want to spend the rest of my life as a miserable couple with my wife.”

I don't care about my wife's family background, I don't ask for her to be beautiful, and I don't expect her to be intelligent or virtuous. I only ask that my wife be a woman with sound values.

Zhao Xuan has repeatedly plotted against Shen Lan, and this time she even conspired with the Crown Prince's concubine to scheme against her using the Crown Prince's pregnant concubine. Such despicable behavior is insidious and vicious; she is not a good match for him!

Mr. Xiao was shocked and even more shocked, he doubted that he had heard correctly.

"She actually did such a thing? You need to find out the truth, so you don't wrong an innocent person."

"Does the father doubt that his son is a judge for nothing?"

"But...does she have something she can't say about?"

“If she has any hatred, she can come at me; if she has any grudges, she can seek revenge from me. She has repeatedly tried to kill Shen Lan; her heart is despicable!”

Mr. Xiao tried to understand Zhao Xuan from her perspective, saying, "Perhaps she felt that you were in love with Miss Shen, and that jealousy led to resentment."

"Leaving aside the fact that Shen Lan and I are completely innocent, even if I were to fall in love with Shen Lan..."

Xiao Ji was stunned after saying those words.

In the past, he could always tell Zhao Xuan with a straight face that he and Shen Lan were just superior and subordinate, just friends, and had no romantic feelings for each other.

But when he said those words, he actually felt a sense of joy.

"I admire Shen Lan"—these five simple words evoked in him an unprecedented feeling of heart palpitations.

“That’s right. Even if you are in love with Shen Lan, you have never shaken her position as the legal wife. My Xiao family has never wronged the Zhao family in this marriage. In fact, we postponed the marriage for four years because of the Zhao family.”

Mr. Xiao also felt that this daughter-in-law was not suitable.

"But son, this marriage alliance between our two families is no small matter. It can't be severed simply by you issuing a letter of annulment."

Are you going to go to Zhao Shangshu and say that you don't like his daughter because she is vicious?

How many women from prominent families are truly kind-hearted? Her decision to sever your relationship now is for the sake of future marital harmony. Think it over carefully.”

Mr. Xiao carefully put away the letter announcing the annulment of the engagement and patted his son on the shoulder.

"Remember, your father and mother will always be on your side, but you will have to bear all the consequences of breaking off the engagement yourself. Don't make an impulsive decision."

He thought that Xiao Ji was in a bad mood and it was understandable that he would resent Zhao Xuan.

But the relationship between husband and wife is an unsolvable mystery, and he didn't want Xiao Ji to regret it later.

Once this letter of annulment is sent over, Xiao Ji's reputation, built up over so many years, will be ruined.

Outsiders will never know what Zhao Xuan did, nor will they know what grievances Xiao Ji endured. They will only say that Xiao Ji was fickle and abandoned his fiancée.

Xiao Ji left without a word, and Sui Ying rode back. Upon seeing him, Sui Ying said, "My lord, we have found the inn where those assassins stayed and the restaurant where they ate."

Xiao Ji's eyes lit up, and he had the gatekeeper bring over a horse so he could follow Suiying to take a look.

"Your Honor is wise! That group of people only stayed one night at our inn, paid very little, and slept in the lowest-class dormitory. How could we have known they were assassins?"

Xiao Ji went in and asked, "How many people are in their group?"

"Fifteen, no more, no less, exactly fifteen."

"Can you still remember what he/she looks like?"

"When they came, they were dressed in rags and said they were refugees from the north. They wore straw hats and covered their faces. I only saw the face of the man who asked for a room; I didn't see what the others looked like."

"Take me to the place where they lived."

"Hey, come with me."

The shopkeeper led Xiao Ji to the backyard.

The so-called lowest-class room was actually an empty small warehouse in the inn, with dry grass on the floor, a few tattered straw mats on top, and a few tattered quilts piled in the corner.

The innkeeper himself knew the environment wasn't good, and said with an awkward laugh, "Only fifty coins a night, there's nothing cheaper than this."

Xiao Ji remained noncommittal and asked him, "After that group of people stayed here, were there any other guests staying here?"

"No, no, nobody usually lives in such a bad house."

Xiao Ji walked around inside and picked up a handkerchief from the ground. The fabric was very ordinary, without any patterns, and it was the kind of handkerchief that could be found everywhere.