The Minister of Dali Temple, always impartial and never overstepping boundaries, along with Han Guang, formed a pair of incorruptible and stubborn individuals that made the entire court want to turn tail and flee upon seeing them.
That they had bypassed the new emperor and come directly to Feng Xiwu had truly surprised them.
“Lord Gu, do not be anxious. Please rise and speak. What has happened to make you so urgent?”
As Feng Xiwu spoke, he gestured for Liyang to offer a seat.
Gu Chaoci seemed utterly exhausted. After rising, he neglected all etiquette and plopped onto a chair, gasping for breath as he began.
“Someone took documents from the weapons forging workshop and counterfeited a large batch of inferior military equipment, replacing the new armaments that the late emperor had rewarded to the Xuanjia Army and the Beifu Iron Cavalry.
Based on the timeline, that batch of armaments has already reached the northern frontier. Once a conflict breaks out again, our soldiers will be no different than facing the sharp swords and sabers of the Northern Wei cavalry with their bare hands!”
This sudden news thoroughly shocked everyone in the warm chamber.
Feng Xiwu’s expression turned stern. “From where did you obtain this intelligence?
What is the quantity of these counterfeit armaments? Who was it that swapped the real ones? And from where were they transported to the northern frontier? Are you clear on all these details?”
The Minister of Dali Temple shook his head repeatedly. “Your subordinate was investigating the case of the swapped military rations and accidentally apprehended a grain merchant, from whom I received this information.
Your subordinate dares not confirm its veracity, but since the incident of the swapped military rations occurred, the matter of the late emperor rewarding new armaments was conducted in secret.
Only the Prince of Nan, Prime Minister Wen, and Your Highness knew. If this were not true, how could a grain merchant possibly know such critical information?”
Lu Qingwan hadn't even known about Emperor Jingyou awarding new armaments to the Beifu Iron Cavalry and the Xuanjia Army.
Her first reaction was, “How long has it been since those armaments departed from the Ministry of War’s forging workshop?”
“His Majesty ordered it as soon as the news of the great victory in Xijiang returned. On the day of the congratulatory banquet, those armaments were already dispatched from the arsenal.
The person in charge of escorting those armaments, a subordinate from the Ministry of War’s cartography department, was specially requested by the Prince of Nan from the Shence Camp. If nothing unexpected occurs during the journey, they should have reached the northern frontier within half a month at most.”
“Departed on the day of the congratulatory banquet, and exactly half a month has passed until now. If this batch of armaments has already been received, then my father and the others…”
Lu Qingwan dared not even think about it. At this critical juncture, if the Northern Wei cavalry were to attack, what would be the fate of those sixty thousand Xuanjia troops and eighty thousand Beifu Iron Cavalry.
Feng Xiwu directly asked the Minister of Dali Temple, “Have you brought the grain merchant’s confession?”
The Minister of Dali Temple nodded vigorously. “Fearing that Your Highness might not believe my words, I have already prepared it.”
Feng Xiwu snatched the document, “Take the Princess Consort to Dali Temple. Have the Princess Consort interrogate all witnesses related to that grain merchant.
And be ready at any moment to enter the palace to face questioning from the new emperor.”
After saying this, he looked at Lu Qingwan. Without her needing to say anything, Lu Qingwan directly stated, “You go. I have the confession.”
Lian Yu also stood up. “I will depart for the northwest immediately. I will contact the Xuanjia Army generals on the border in advance, and be ready to provide support to the northern frontier at any time.”
As he did not hold an official position in court, the regulations of the imperial court did not apply to him, which was most convenient.
Feng Xiwu directly said, “First, go to the Prince of Nan’s manor. Inquire if the Prince of Nan has any reserve armaments. If not, begin preparations immediately to fill the gap left by the swapped equipment.”
…
After a period of orderly arrangements amidst the chaos, they divided into several groups, each busy with their respective tasks.
Lu Qingwan, accompanied by Duanyue and Lisu, headed straight to Dali Temple.
Dali Temple was as it was the last time she visited, but the interrogation chambers had been changed.
Lu Qingwan, looking at the group of people confined in the prison cells, was greatly shocked. “These are all people related to the case of the swapped military rations?!”
She roughly counted seventeen individuals. “That moldy rice was transported in from beyond the passes. What have all these people been doing?”
The Minister of Dali Temple, standing by her side, was unfazed by Lu Qingwan’s astonishment. “One million piculs of military rations, which should have been transported to the northern frontier, were replaced with moldy rice. And those one million piculs of good quality refined rice were transported to Liaodong.
Does the Princess Consort know how many people are involved in this, from the grain transport route to passing through various checkpoints and evading the eyes of the transport officials?”
Lu Qingwan did not know how many people were involved in completing such a scheme of deception, but she knew that the Minister of Dali Temple’s words clearly implied that seventeen people were already a small number.
It was likely that more involved parties had yet to be apprehended.
Resignedly, she closed her eyes and turned to instruct Lisu, “Begin.
Employ a dual approach to ensure the authenticity and completeness of the confessions. Do not kill anyone, especially those who provide effective testimony; they must be kept alive.”
Lisu acknowledged the order. Lu Qingwan gestured to the Minister of Dali Temple, “Lord Gu, we can begin.”
The Minister of Dali Temple now knew that Lu Qingwan was the renowned divine doctor Lin Sa of Shangjing City, and having personally witnessed Lu Qingwan interrogate people, he was exceedingly cooperative this time.
Lu Qingwan expended virtually no energy on matters outside of the interrogation.
Even so, interrogating all seventeen witnesses took a considerable amount of time.
During this period, the Minister of Dali Temple flitted back and forth between the two interrogation rooms where Lu Qingwan and Lisu were questioning like a colorful butterfly.
When Lu Qingwan declared the end, Lisu’s end also arrived. The three met outside the prison cells. Under the morning light, the Minister of Dali Temple squinted and asked, “How is it? Did you two uncover any useful clues?”
Lu Qingwan looked at Lisu, who decisively replied, “Most of the people I interrogated were minor accomplices. There was only one clerk from the Ministry of War’s forging workshop.
He said someone paid him a high price for a copy of the armament registration book. He was afraid of punishment if the matter was discovered and refused. In the end, he led the other party into the Ministry of War’s archives to look at that book.
Based on his description, I can confirm that the other party was looking at the list of rewards prepared by His Majesty for the northern frontier army.”
“This is a very important clue. Is there any evidence to prove that someone looked at that registration book?
Of course, it would be even better if you could find the person who looked at the armament registration book!”
The Minister of Dali Temple nodded in agreement, like a doll that only nods.
Disappointingly, Lisu shook his head. “That coward thought himself clever, believing that as long as the registration book remained, he would be safe.
To avoid being discovered, he didn’t even ask the other party’s name, and he even melted down the dirty silver he received as a bribe.
As of now, besides his word, all human and material evidence is gone.”
Lu Qingwan sneered in anger. “As expected of a clerk from the Ministry of War’s forging workshop. He probably rose from a craftsman, didn’t he?”
Lisu scratched his head awkwardly. “Don’t mention it, his ancestor was indeed a coppersmith, and his father was rewarded for forging new armaments, which is why he had someone exempt his household from the craftsman’s registration.”
Although she had guessed correctly, this outcome was in no way cause for celebration.
The Minister of Dali Temple looked expectantly at Lu Qingwan. “Princess Consort, do you have any important clues on your end?”
“I found no useful clues regarding the armament case, but there was an unexpected gain.”
Lu Qingwan handed the confession to the Minister of Dali Temple. “Does Lord Gu know that moldy rice was transported into Beixiao Pass from Yunqiang?”